Japanese beetles! The bane of rose growers! I used to knock them off into soapy water, but I gave that up. Life's too short to spend my day battling beetles! Now I treat my yard in the fall and spring to kill the beetle larvae. It has REALLY cut down on the amount of beetles we get. Forget sprays and traps for beetles. They don't work. Only heavy-duty insecticides will kill adult beetles, and who wants to use those? They kill the good insects, too. And, they don't keep the beetles from returning, so you'd have to be out there spraying everyday anyway. During the worst of the "beetle season" (mid July into August), I tend to cut my roses just before the bud opens, then bring them inside to enjoy as bouquets (thereby rescuing them!).

Tell your friend, she will know she's in real trouble when the beetles start smoking cigarettes after there done doing the nasty on her roses... LOL
Japanese Beetles seem to be a major headache for many gardeners.

JIM

I just found my first one today never had them before. Knew it was going to happen sooner or later.

Moril, hopefully that one will be your one and only. I read an article several years ago that Kansas was one of the few states that has done something (sorry, I can't remember what now) to keep the Japanese Beetles out of Kansas--an agricultural state, after all.

Don't know how long or well that will work, but I'm thankful for now.

Kate (Zone 6 Kansas)

Traps do work. Low environmental impact and they catch the beetles early.
Every female you let live can lay forty eggs for next year's destruction.

The best product for my use of these varmits is Milky Spore and it is safe to use. I used this product two years ago and no longer deal with June bugs, JB, or grubs in the soil. Before I had all of these guys all over yard and garden. I am not a salesman for this product but I am really impressed by it. One of the reasons I used it because I have three dachshunds and I am very careful what I use in the yard. (Even tho they barely go out in the yard unless they must!). And with Milky Spore it is good for 3-5 years. Milky Spore is not harmful to beneficial insects, birds, bees, pets or man. I used it on my yard and also put a small amount at the base of each rose bush. Here is a link for further info:
Like I said it worked for me at least. Also pricey but it works so the price isn't that bad.
http://homeharvest.com/milkyspore.htm

Kate,

I hope your right. I read something about scouts and got some soapy water as its final resting place.

iluvgardens, milky spores seem to the prefer way to get rid of the little buggers so far that I've read.

I also read the pro and cons for traps. I'll stick with the soapy water for now.

They no longer recommend Milky Spore for cold zones as its reliability to survive the winter is questionable.

The only way I am able to keep them under control in my yard is by spot spraying the beetles once or twice a day with Bayer Rose & Flower Insect Killer (not the 3-in-1 systemic). It is about 5 times quicker and more effective than picking them off into soapy water (which I used to do).

As tenacious as they are, I do wonder why they've never made it to Europe. That and a slew of a few other pests I can think of that seem to so easily gain a foothold in the US but not Europe. Maybe the predator insect is present in Europe, the one that keeps JBs under control in Japan?

I grow my roses among other things on my 3rd story condo balcony.

Lots of aphids feasting on my newly planted hybrid teas back in early June. I just squished them and sprayed with water and a tad of dish soap. I just checked everyday to keep up with them and in a few weeks they were gone.

Saw several Japanese beetles waaaay up here but they only seemed interested in the marigolds and the morning glory leaves. They left all 3 roses alone. This was about mid July. I just gave them a big old "flick" and off they went.

What were they doing way up here anyway.....3 stories up....how dare they! This is the very 1st time I've seen them up here and I've been container gardening on this balcony for 20 years.

PS. I also saw them on top of each other! Strange..

Real Revenge is feeding the dead beetles to the fish off my dock..The fish jump out of the water to get them...Yahoo!Of course I am easily amused.....

kforest,
On top of = making more beetles for next year.

Welltraveled,
Several years ago, someone else (besides me) reported on success with traps. They also had a fishing area and they suspended a trap above the water, with a long plastic cylinder below the trap so that instead of falling into a green plastic bag, the beetles would drop into the water where the fish would be waiting.

Good beetles are dead beetles.

I found the traps to be wonderful! I had only a few beetles to kill the old fashioned way, and no other insects were attracted to the traps.
kay

I'd personally be afraid to try a Japanese Beetle Trap.
The original intention of these traps were to track when and how many Japanese beetles were in a area, not as a means of eradication.
I think some years you may get away with using them, but, other years you will be very sorry.
I think i'd rather give the milky spore product a shot.

JIM